Fall Checklist Part 1: Garden Clean-up & Winterization

Welcome to our Fall Checklist for Winter 2014! While fall weather is still crisp but cool – and the ground is not yet frozen – we’re going to help you tackle cleaning up your garden.

Step 1. In addition to removing spent blooms and shriveled leaves, cut back, break up and remove any foliage that looks diseased. How do you spot foliage that’s been attacked by disease? Look for bugs, leaves that are eaten away as opposed to succumbing to fall color or lint-like growth and coatings on stems and foliage. Cutting out any disease, or the entire plant, will prevent the offending condition from staying viable, known as “overwintering,” and making it less likely to attack in the spring.

Step 2. During a dry fall, water trees, shrubs and especially evergreens deeply, so they stay hydrated during the dormant winter season.

Step 3. Amend the soil in your garden beds by spreading them with a couple of inches of organic compost, which breaks down over the winter to reveal healthy, nutrient-rich planting material when the snow melts. This is especially effective for sand or clay soils.

Our expert staff is always on hand to help you with wintering your gardens. From wheelbarrows to shovels and everything in-between, if you have any questions about what to choose, pricing or how-tos, don’t hesitate to contact us. Stop by our store — we’re open seven days a week.